Teamwork
by lavanel
Summary: Join a team of four: Rocky, Lily, Brad and Xavier, on their adventure to reach their max levels and to become the best inklings in Inkopolis. Along their way, people will come and go, secrets will be revealed, and there is always room for madness. The only thing that is certain, is that they will have to learn that teamwork is always important in this game: Splatoon.
1. Chapter 1 - Booyah Base

**Chapter 1**

 **Booyah Base**

In Splatoon, there are game-like wars, such as tower control, splat zones, and the most popular, turf wars. The inklings are divided into two teams, each containing four players. Some players would stay in their turf and paint the entire area while others would make a bee-line for the opposing team. Of course, they aren't so happy with the different ways people play in the turf war. There may be two or one inkling staying behind painting their turf. These inklings may have a problem with the others on their team when they leave him/her to do all the work on their turf. However, when your team wins, you would think it's all thanks to you because you stayed back, but really, to be successful, you would need the two types of ways that inklings play in turf war.

The sun beamed down on Inkopolis, where all the inklings inhabited. Most of the inklings were in the turf wars, trying to raise their level and gain money to buy new gears or weapons. However, others were just relaxing and talking to each other about what themes should be for the up-coming splatfest. As usual, Marie and Callie was on the big screen keeping Inkopolis updated about the stages for regular and ranked battles.

"Hold on to your tentacles.." Callie started.

"It's Inkopolis News Time!" said Marie.

 **Stage News**

Callie continued. "Lets unveil the current **regular battle** stages!"

"All right!"

 **Walleye Warehouse**

"Remember working here part-time back in the day?" Callie remembered from her flash back.

Marie sighed. "Yeah, and how often you broke the assembly line.."

 **Port Mackerel**

"OK, Marie! Give us your very best tactical tip!" said Callie.

Marie thought for a second then looked at her cousin. "Hm...Wining is temporary, but looking cool is forever!"

Callie continued. "And now, the current ranked battle stages!"

"Splatastic" said Marie.

 **Saltspray Rig**

Callie moaned."Blech, the salt spray here really gets in my eyes!"

"You know, salted squid is a delicacy in some places," Callie stated.

 **Moray Towers**

Callie started to panic. "Don't look down...Don't look down..."

However Marie did the exact opposite.

As the stages were finished being announced, Callie raised her fist in the air.

"Until next time.."

"Stay Fresh!" they both said as they close off.

Never get's old.

While everyone was chilling, there was one particular inkling who wasn't doing anything at all. Her name was Rocky, and she had brown skin with orange tentacles that hung low up to her knees. There she was, sitting on the railing that surrounded the Battle Dojo looking at all the other inklings socializing with each other.

 _Well I can't just sit here all day and look unsociable_ she thought while looking at some inklings laughing together. _I haven't even done a turf war yet._

Her legs swung back and forth in the heat, hitting the railing at some points. She then decided to rest her elbows on her knees and gaze at some inklings wearing helmets, caps and more. _They look really fashionable_ she thought. _But I don't even have enough money to buy these things. Actually, I have no money at all._

She kept looking around at inklings with gears and then started judging them like they were in a modeling contest. Her eyes halted on a male inkling, who had green tentacles, with a black t-shirt, black shoes and a gas mask. _Hmmm, going goth are we?_ she thought raising an eyebrow. Next she saw a female inkling, who had purple tentacles, with black glasses, a white shirt and black shoes. _I like the nerd look,_ she thought _. If only Inkopolis had schools.._

Suddenly, her eyes stumbled on another female inkling with studio headphones and dark blue tentacles. Rocky's eyes widened. She was very impressed by the head gear. It wasn't like any other gear she saw. It looked fairly fresh and started to fall in love with it. _I...want...it..._ she thought with her mouth wide opened in astonishment. However, what she didn't know was that some inklings were giggling at her slightly after they saw her face. As she realized that her mouth was still opened, she shut it quickly and ran to the female inkling wearing the headphones.

Upon her arrival, she realized that she was actually going to talk to an inkling for the first time. Shyness took control of her body as she slowly walked to the fourteen year old. She then tapped her shoulder with her finger before the girl turned around.

"What?" the inkling asked looking pissed off.

Although all inklings were the same height, for Rocky, this inkling who had light skin felt a little taller than her, or maybe she's shrinking.

"Hi..." she started, " I was just wondering...where did you get those headphones?"

"From the moon..." the inkling answered sarcastically. "Everyone know's all the gears are sold in the shops at Booyah Base," she replied rolling her eyes.

"Why are you so...I don't know...pissed?" asked Rocky.

"Well, you're obviously new here. Haven't you heard of the turf war?"

"Yeah. What about it? I heard it's fun" she answered bubbling up a little.

"Only if you win!" the inkling said in anger.

Rocky returned to small mode.

"It's all because of my stupid team!" she continued. "It's like they haven't played a single turf war in their entire life! Like seriously, the instructions are very simple. It even shows before the game starts!"

Rocky slowly walked past the dark blue inkling who was most likely having a hard time. "That's not true..."she thought. She decided to let it pass her mind as she made her way for Booyah Base.

* * *

 **Earlier that day...**

 **IN A TURF WAR**

 **Location - Urchin Underpass**

"HEY YOU CAN'T DO THAT! THIS IS OUR TERRITORY!" a female inkling screamed.

"Actually they can." A male inkling corrected.

They were both on the same team: dark blue. Their team was standing in their turf which was now most likely painted orange. The female inkling kept arguing with the other team for rushing over to their base and covering it with their paint.

"BUT THEY JUST WALTZ INTO OUR TURF LIKE THEY OWN IT!" she screamed again. "EVERY TIME THEY-"

"Ok..." he said covering her mouth. "Let's not get banned like the last time."

 **Timer: 12**

"Haha! There's only twelve seconds left and we've nearly painted the entire turf." an orange male inkling teased.

The inkling girl moved her cousin's hand from her mouth. "Because you people cheated!"

"Did not! You guys are just too slow" he argued.

"Did too!" she screamed back.

"Did not!

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

Splat!

"Excuse me, we were arguing," she exclaimed.

"Your welcome" he replied.

 **Timer: 3...2...1...GAME!**

"Dang it!" she exclaimed as she threw her splatter shot on the ground and stomped on it.

"Well there goes 500 coins." he said.

"It's not fair!" she argued and started to walk off. Suddenly, Judd came to calculate the results. She quickly turned back and started to get anxious. "Wait...we may still have a chance" .

The male inkling from the opposing team was running from his turf after he got splated. "You're never gonna win! Never! Not one cha-"

Splat!

The meters were both at 26 percent as Judd calculates. Then, his small paws went behind his back signalling that the results are in.

"C'mon c'mon" the female inkling said while crossing her fingers. To her it was almost like a slow motion act, but she kept her eyes on the white sharp looking cat.

Unfortunately, Judd's left arm started to raise as wasn't expected by the inkling girl. Her team already knew that it was over and there was no hope of winning as Judd's arm raised an orange flag, signalling the victory of the opposing team.

The orange team celebrated their victory by throwing their weapons in the air and catching it back in their hands. Others who had brushes waved them in the air. "That was too easy," one of them said as he hi-fived another inkling.

While this was occurring the dark blue inkling girl was literally frozen. She couldn't believe she lost after all the time, including her team was unbeatable. However, this wasn't her original team. Her friends reached level 10 and decided to go into ranked battles instead, leaving her behind in the turf was as level 5. Maybe she should have listened to her cousin and not slack off thinking she would level up without doing any wars.

Her cousin slowly walked up her and rested his hand on her shoulder. "C'mon Lily, we'll get them next time, don't worry."

The dark blue inkling zapped out of her trance of defeat and smiled. "You're right Brad, but, why get them next time when can get them NOW!"

Lily made a rapid bee-line to the orange male inkling who was teasing her before and pinned him to the ground.

"AHHHH! HEEEELLLPPPP! MAD GIRL! MURDER!" screaming orange the male inkling.

Everyone quickly rushed to the team and tried to get Lily off of the helpless inkling.

"YOU...URCHIN!" she screamed at him as she clumped her hand into a fist. "YOU WILL PAY!" Lily started to move her fist but an inkling from her team caught her hand. They struggled in trying to get her off the orange boy. Lily finally calmed down and took a deep breath.

"And this people..." the orange inkling started,"...is what you call addiction."

"I am not addicted to turf wars!" she exclaimed before walking off to the Lobby.

"Sorry about that," Brad then ran after his cousin.

 **IN THE PLAZA**

Lily stomped out the Lobby. "That boy's always getting on my nerve," she muttered as she walked down the slight slope heading to the central area. "If I only had my team back and not those newbie's, we would have surely win."

She then felt someone tapping on her shoulder, which made her anger levels rise.

"What?" she asked just for the person to stop.

Lily saw a brown-skinned inkling who looked very timid. She had orange tentacles which made Lily even more angry as she remembered the orange urchin from the previous turf war. She was about to explode when she realized that the inkling was a level 1. _A newbie_ she thought. _Well she mustn't have even played the war yet._

"Hi..." the inkling started, " I was just wondering...where did you get those headphones?"

 _You're not serious._ Lily thought. _She's new, but come on. She doesn't know about gears yet?_

"From the moon..." the Lily answered sarcastically. "Everyone know's all the gears are sold in the shops at Booyah Base," she replied rolling her eyes.

"Why are you so...I don't know...pissed?" asked the orange girl.

"Well, you're obviously new here." Lily unveiled." Haven't you heard of the turf war?"

"Yeah. What about it? I heard it's fun" she answered bubbling up a little.

Lily raised an eyebrow. _Fun?_ _Who told her that?_

"Only if you win!" she said in anger.

The inkling allowed timidness to take over her body once again.

Lily continued, "It's all because of my stupid team! It's like they haven't played a single turf war in their entire life! Like seriously, the instructions are very simple. It even shows before the game starts! The other team suppose to paint their turf before coming to our's, but noooooo! They want to attack us-"

"Who're you're talking too?" Brad walked by his cousin's side.

Lily stopped before realizing that the orange inkling had disappeared long ago. Feeling very embarrassed, she looked at her cousin and smiled. "A ghost.."

Brad raised his eyebrow. "What?"

"Yea...I made a ghost friend, apparently she's roaming around Inkopolis," Lily lied poorly. She then whispered into Brad's ear. "It's haunted..."

"Lily," Brad sighed realizing 'what' he was related too. "No..."


	2. Chapter 2 - Meet Spyke

**Chapter 2**

 **Meet Spyke**

"Whoa," Rocky stared at a pink building standing right in front of her. Her black eyes squinted to see the language on top of the building that only inklings like herself can understand. _Cooler Heads_. She nodded, understanding the title. The little inkling decided to go in and see what the store was about.

 **Inside Cooler Heads..**

As she entered, she saw a female person with pink spikey hair and green at the tips. She looked rather timid and quiet, just as how Rocky looked when she was talking to that strange inkling girl in the plaza a moment ago. The girl looked like she doesn't say much at all. Her eyes were blue but her pupils were neon pink. She also had pale purple eye shadow. Black nerd-like glasses gave her a smart look but purple headphones around her neck added a cool appearance. She wore a green jacket with pink and blue splat patterns and orange pants that ran down to the inside of her black boots.

The shopkeeper looked down at her boots, "oh...um...hello.."

"Hi," Rocky gave her a big smile, hoping to make the girl feel less timid.

However, that just made her worse. She stepped back a bit more feeling slightly startled by Rocky's greeting. Her eyes moved down to her headphones as she fixed their position around her neck.

"W-would you like to buy something?" she placed her eyes back on the inkling.

"Oh..uh..." Rocky blushed in embarrassment. "Not really...I just wanted to know if you have any headphones?"

The store clerk looked down again. "W-what level are you?"

"One."

"Oh s-sorry...Headphones aren't available to you yet..." she apologized.

Rocky's face dropped. "At what level are they available?"

The girl closed her eyes for a while. "I-I'm not sure. Things come and go and random times."

"So you don't know when they come?" Rocky asked.

"N-no."

"But you're in charge of this store, you should-"

"GET LOST NERD!" said a male voice. "YER WASTING OUR TIME!"

Rocky stopped and looked at the store clerk in shock.

"D-Did you say that?"

The store clerk looked down.

"HEY STALE SQUID!" Rocky heard it again. "UP HERE!"

Rocky looked on top of the girl's head and saw a shiney blue star. At first she thought she was crazy but then saw a clown fish appear behind a spike of hair on top of the shopkeeper's head.

Rocky raised an eyebrow. "You said that?"

"SHUT UP!" the fish said. "IF YER NOT GOING TO BUY SOMETHIN', GET OUT!"

"But.."

"LEAVE!"

Rocky was about to say something but then let it pass. She didn't wanted to make the store clerk feel anymore uncomfortable. She decided to head for the door with thoughts running through her head.

"Moe," the store clerk started. "S-she's new, you didn't need to scare her like that."

"ANNIE! SHE WAS ASKING YOU A LOT OF QUESTIONS LIKE A DETECTIVE," the fish continued. "STRESSING YA OUT! I DIDN'T LIKE THAT SQUID'S ATTITUDE!"

 **Outside..**

 _But I want those headphones now!_ Rocky kicked a stone away. _I wonder if any other store will have it._ The orange inkling looked around to see if she can find any other stores. There were a lot of buildings around but each were very different. The inkling then spotted a store next to Cooler Heads. _Maybe this store will let me have the headphones._ She ran inside.

 **Inside Jelly Fresh..**

As she entered she was greeted by a shopkeeper who was waving his tentacle at her. He had a purple cap with some writing on top and a white jersey with a picture of an eye surround by a purple boarder. His blue and black scarf fitted right underneath his gigantic head.

 _A jellyfish!_ The inkling thought with a smile. _Better than the other shopkeeper._

"Hi..." the inkling started. "I'm Rocky!"

"Well, well, well, aren't you a peppy inkling?" the jellyfish commented. "I have just the thing for your personality." The store clerk quickly went to the back and came out with a long white vest, that had a pink basketball on it on top of some blue writing.

"uh..." The inkling looked at the outfit. "It's nice..but.."

"C'mon, try it on. I insist." the shopkeeper gave her the top.

After a few seconds, the inkling had on the clothing.

"Ah..." said the jellyfish. "Look at you.."

"Thanks, but..that's not what I came for..."Rocky said taking off the clothing.

"NO!" said the jellyfish taking the vest from her. "DON"T SMUDGE IT!"

"Sorry.." The inkling quickly let go of the outfit.

The jellyfish calmed down. "So, what is it that you want?"

"Headphones"

"Headphones?" the jellyfish asked.

"Yea..headphones" the inkling said.

"The...headphones?"

"Uh Huh"

There was a moment of silence.

"Headphones?" the store clerk asked making sure.

Rocky groaned. "You know, the thing that you can put over your head and liste-"

"I know what they are.." the shopkeeper stopped her. "My question is...are you asking for them...here?"

"Yyyyeeeaaa?" the inkling hoped she wasn't wrong.

The jellyfish slapped his forehead with his tentacle in frustration. "Honey, look, Jelonzo," he said pointing at himself," Doesn't sell headphones."

"But your store sells gear," Rocky stated. "Right?"

"Yes, but not all gear stores sell the same thing." Jelonzo looked at the inkling from top to bottom. "Level one?"

"Yea," the inkling looked down. "I guess that's bad huh?"

"Oh no!" the jellyfish shook his head. "I love newbies. Gives me the time to talk with them more about things they don't know, especially, fashion."

"But, do you know if any other store has headphones?" the inkling asked with begging eyes hoping for a positive answer.

"The only store that sells head gears, including headphones, is that girl over there," he pointed to the store next to him.

"Yea, I know," Rocky said remembering the incident.

"But you can still buy something here," he said, "how much you got on ya?"

Rocky cupped her hand to make it shape like a zero.

"Oh.." Jelonzo said. "Well you can't really get anything unless you have cash smallie."

"I know."

"Hey, don't look down," he said. "Play a turf war and come back when you have cash." Jelonzo held the vest that Rocky tried on earlier," I'll save this clothing for ya."

"Thanks," the inkling started walking out.

"Oh, and don't forget to check my pal Crusty Sean." Jelonzo stated. "Sells the best shoes for ya."

"I will," the inkling ran out the store.

 **Outside..**

 _Why would I want to go by Crusty Sean? He just sells shoes._ She thought while walking out Jelonzo's store.

Rocky then saw a male inkling coming out of a dark alley. He was beige and had on a green hat with a pixelated squid on it. He also had on a yellow padded urban vest and black shoes.

"50000 dollars?!" she heard him scream. "THAT'S ENOUGH TO BUY A CHARGER!"

 _Is everyone in inkopolis this crazy?"_ Rocky asked herself as she went to the boy's location.

"I AM NEVER GONNA ORDER ANYTHING FROM YOU AGAIN!" the boy walked off.

 _So, he's never going to buy anything ever again from a dark alley?_ the inkling girl thought. _Well I shouldn't be surprised, I may turn like that too._

Rocky looked down at the black alley as she remembered what someone told her when it was her first time in inkopolis. _Do not go down that dark alley._

 _But didn't that boy go down there?_ the inkling thought. _Nothing happened to him. It wasn't like he was harmed or injured._

The girl stopped to think about her future actions. If they said not to go down that alley, why did that boy go. It's not like she would get hurt or anything? At least she has her weapon just in case.

After second guessing herself, she went down the alley.

It wasn't even that dark at all. Just a little shade, then there was the normal daylight coming through. Rocky took her time to go down the alley, passing vending machines on each side of the path and two dustbins on the right. Gaining a bit more confidence, she started to walk down little fast but then halted. What was before her were creatures who looked like sea snails. A little further from them were just sea snail shells and a screw driver on top of a traditionally designed carpet. That was not all. There was a person separating the living snails from the snail shells. He looked very mysterious. He had extremely black and purple spiky hair, way more spiky than the shopkeeper's own at Cooler Heads. He had long legs and arms and seemed rather tall if he stood up. A patterned red and purple outfit, dirty green pants, and brown old shoes were worn by the stranger. The sound of shaking bracelets attracted the inkling's attention to the person's face. Only one eye can be seen and it was purple, with a teal iris and a black pupil.

At first, the inkling was a little startled but then realized that the stranger wasn't doing anything to her at all.

"Hello love," the stranger greeted Rocky.

 _Woah, woah, woah!_ Rocky thought as she stepped back a little. _You're a stranger,_ _you are waaaay older than me, you look very mysterious, and you're calling me love?_ The inkling started to feel uncomfortable around this person.

"You seem a little scared," the guy continued. "Don't worry, I won't harm you.

Rocky thought for a second. _Well_ , _that boy wasn't harmed wasn't he?_

"The name's Spyke," he said, "You may judge me quickly by the look of my attire, but I'm a business person."

"Business person?" the inkling girl asked.

"That's right mate, I make deal- I mean, I search for gears for inklings."

Rocky came a little closer. "Uh huh?"

"Anytime you see an inkling that have on a gear that you would like, just give me a call to order it," Spyke handed the inkling girl a phone. "Just click the 'X' button to tell me what you would like."

Rocky was getting very interested in this Spyke, but then again, she remember the inkling boy coming out very frustrated. She didn't want to be in a situation like that.

"Uh, thanks anyway," she said giving back the phone. "But, I'm good."

"But it's yours ya know," the guy said handing her back the phone. "Keep it on you, just in case you change your mind."

Rocky looked at the phone then back at the guy. "Uh...ok.." she said walking off.

"Cheers, love," Sypke said

Rocky felt uncomfortable again. _He's gotta stop calling me that._ She looked down at the phone. _Hmm, maybe I can get that headphone I always wanted._ Rocky looked around inkopolis. _Now all I have to do is find that girl._


End file.
